Of Cold Water and Tickle Fights
by Tsuki-of-the-Wolves
Summary: Sora learns that with Kairi, things don't need to be said. Also that she cheats at tickle fights. Oneshot. No flames please. Dorky, fluffy, and kind of pointless. Rated for saftey. :


**Tsuki:** I don't know where this came from. Kinda made it up on the spot, with not initial plot. Probably the worst thing I can do is post it, but I am! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts… oh, woe is me.

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The sun shone liquid gold upon the white sandy shores, and the gentle foam fingers of the blue tide reached out to the toes of a young girl. Her red hair blew gently in the warm island breeze, and the smell of sun warmed paopu fruit and salt was thick in the air. It was home.

Said girl laughed softly when the cold waters lapped over her feet, making her shiver, and step back even further from the boy in front of her. The boy looked at her with a huge grin plastered on his tanned face, and looked at her with expectant eyes, blue as the sky. Just the sky he was named after.

"Sora…" His name, a soft and fluid sound on her lips.

"Come on Kairi, it's fine!" Sora outstretched a hand to her, beckoning her into the water. His clothes lay in a heap next to the dock of their childhood play island, and all he was left clad in was a pair of deep blue swim trunks.

They'd come back to the island after being home for a few days. These were there final moments together before King Mickey and the Gummi Ship returned to whisk the boys away again into some far off adventure. It would be in just over a week before they were gone again, leaving the girl to once more stare dejectedly into the horizon, awaiting a safe return. They all knew of it, none spoke of it. That day was pushed from their minds as the kids now played along the warm shores of their childhood, fading in and out of reminiscent visions. In a flash they'd be so young again, and then back to the teenagers they were now.

Kairi looked at him, and fidgeted with the ruffling sides of her baby-blue two piece. It wasn't flashy, or too revealing, it was simple and cute. It was Kairi.

"Look, if you start to sink, I'll save you!" Sora puffed out his chest, and pointed a thumb at himself in a sort of mock-hero pose. Throwing in his signature grin, she shook her head.

"I can swim, silly." His pose fell, and he splashed the water lightly at her with his foot. She gave him a playful look and jumped back. "It's just cold! And I've spent all morning warming up in the sun."

Sora scoffed. "It feels fine. You'll warm up the more you swim around. C'mon!" He held a hand out to her again.

"Nope!" Shot down, again.

"Awww, please? How about if Riku does too?" The spiky haired brunette gestured at his best friend. Riku was situated contentedly under the shade of a palm tree, with eyes closed, and still fully clothed, even though he'd brought swim gear.

"No thanks." The silvery haired teen gave a smile, and leaned back even further, hands behind his head, and looking about ready to doze off in the heat of the day. "First off, the water is freezing. Second, I've had enough fun for a while. Besides, you'd probably drown me." Kairi laughed once more, remembering how earlier that day they'd been building sand castles, and after thoroughly making Sora's wimpy castle look like a just a pile of, well, sand, Sora had initiated a sand fight with his friend. Which here would be the equivalence to a snowball fight in the colder worlds.

It had been fun, and Kairi had stayed out of it, happily placing thallassa shells and other sea treasures on her small sand-fortress. The boys ended up covered in mud, and while Riku simply changed back into street-wear, Sora jumped right into the cool waves. It baffled the girl how his hair could still be so vertical when it was soaked. Just another perk about being Sora she supposed; hair that was permanently styled.

"Come on, I'll show you how to swim like a mermaid." He bribed, brushing off Riku's decline to move onto the next effort.

"Hmm…" This had her thinking. Sora knew his tales of Atlantica had fascinated her, and she wanted so much to visit it one day. His smile grew, thinking he'd won. "Not as fun without the tail." He groaned, she smiled. Still, his hand stayed out stubbornly. Defeated by his drive, she took his hand and slowly walked into the sea. Goosebumps trailed up her as she came to knee deep water. And then he was pulling her out further. Waist deep, chest deep, shoulder deep, and finally her feet couldn't touch the bottom. With chattering teeth, she hovered on the surface, rising and falling with the gentle waves. But when she looked around now, she didn't see her sky-eyed friend. Had she really risked all of her body heat only to be abandoned?

"Sora?" She swam in a small circle, but no sign. Kairi turned toward Riku, who was smiled at her, his elbows resting on his knees.

"Watch out, Kairi." He called to her, in a light tone. She looked confused. "There's a shark in the water." Suddenly she realized what he meant, and spun around to see a brown spike sticking up just over the surface. Very Jaws-esque. She smiled, and squealed as it disappeared into the deep, taking the chance to start swimming back to the shore.  
But the Sora shark was too fast a creature, and took a hold of her ankle, pulling her deep down with him.

"Ahhh!" She laughed and opened her eyes under the water to see Sora smiling back. The salt stung her eyes slightly, but she was used to it after living with the ocean for so long. He began to swim back up, but she grabbed his arm, pulling him down, and letting herself resurface again. He came up a few seconds later, and quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back down again. Under the water, he swirled her around once, and she clung to him. Kairi knew she was about out of breath, so she used the last of her time to gently slide her fingers down his sides. Sora erupted into a fit of bubbly laughter, and they both rose to the surface as he fought off her evil, tickling hands.

They descended back into the chill blue multiple times; laughing, smiling, tumbling, spinning, and tickling, in a waltz of waves. Neither ever worrying about staying down too long, for one would always bring the playful fighting to above water at different points. Their arms and feet splashed the surface, and Sora was thankful that his trip to Atlantica had given him such nimble aquatic skills. Most of the time he was the one pulling Kairi around while she just held on giggling. Swimming with legs was a lot harder than with a fin, but still just as fun.  
Finally they'd reached the point of being thigh deep into the sea. But it wasn't over yet. Both were breathing heavily, smiling, taunting, and soaked to the bone. Sora once more stood further out than Kairi, slowly working his way towards her, ready to pounce, and officially win the 'fight'. She laughed out loud.

"Don't you dare, Sora!" The red haired beauty cried, but somewhere in her voice, there was a tone that said 'dare!'. And dare he did. With one swift movement, he toppled her over, careful not to hurt her. She was a captive underneath him, and he took the moment to deliver the final blow; tickling her until she couldn't breathe. "Hahahaha! Sor-a-a! Hahah I- I hahah okay hahahaha stop!" And he did.

The pair were completely out of breath, and traces of laughter still left their lungs in-between deep inhales and exhales. The smiles that seemed permanently etched on their soaked faces never faded. Not even when they noticed Sora was still pinning Kairi. Her face began to redden, but not near as much as his did.

There was a still moment, and they stared at one another. With a quick glance up at the shore, the boy noted that Riku was nowhere in sight. He momentarily wondered where he'd gone, but soon all his thoughts were involving Kairi. There. Beneath him; blushing, those pink lips slightly parted, her chest rising and falling with very aware breaths. And he almost couldn't help himself.

All the time he'd been gone he'd missed Kairi dearly. He'd been searching for Riku, and fulfilling his duty to the King though, so he didn't spend time worrying about looking for her. She was safe on the island he knew, but it didn't stop him from thinking about her every step of the way. She was his light, and his reason to keep going even in the toughest times. How many times had he looked back on the memories he had with her and wished he done something? How many times had he been in mid-battle and regretted not telling her things he should have, wondering if it would now be too late? And how many times had he looked at those lips and held back, still wondering just how perfect if would be to lean over and kiss those very lips that were now just inches away.

Sora's mind screamed at him to move in, and his doubt screamed at him to move away. Kairi looked up to his eyes and saw them racing, searching, panicking. He was losing time, he knew it. It seemed like hours had passed, but it must've been just seconds.

Suddenly she sighed. "Sora," Kairi said his name, and he grimaced for an instant. There it was, his chance immediately fading away. But he wasn't about to let it!  
Whatever she had to say was now lost, and he gently pressed his lips against hers, clumsily. It was his first real kiss, and though at first it was awkward, he slowly fell into it, and it became beautiful, for lack of a better word. It was chaste, and sweet. Though not the most romantic kiss, it was the kiss of a lifetime, and he pulled back reluctantly, slowly, giving her a few more before finally pulling away, eyes still closed. They were still inches apart, and he mustered up the courage to open his eyes. They were immediately met by her glazed over gaze.

"S-Sora?" Her voice was hushed, and laced with something foreign. He felt as if his tongue was suddenly led, and he couldn't speak. His mind went into panic mode, and he froze. She didn't want him to kiss her. It was too soon. He'd ruined everything. A million scenarios ran through his head, and he quickly got up.

"I'm sorry!" The brunette said loudly, right away, and he pushed himself away from her. A blush stained his cheeks. He was so embarrassed! "I don't know what I was thinking! I'm so sorry, Kairi! Please forgive me- oh man, that was your first kiss huh? Oh, Kai I'm so sorry!" He blurted everything out, and couldn't stop apologizing. She couldn't help but smile at how he was worried about taking her first kiss. And it was. But it was his, too. He kept going on like this for some time, before she finally splashed him a little, giggling. The boy looked at her in surprise from being cut off by such shenanigans.

She smiled at him, and suddenly it was her turn to topple him over. There was a huge splash, and she sat on top of him, victoriously. In no time, she was tickling him again, and they were both laughing.

"H-hey, no fa-air! Hahaha I w-won hahahaha!" She shook her head as he laughed between words.

"No, I never said I give up!"

"O-okay, I GIVE UP!" Sora cried, and she stopped, letting him catch his breath. He was still blushing. "You win, Kairi." He sat up on his elbows, and smiled at her, only to be left dumbfounded when she kissed him on the nose.

"I know that." She smiled at him, and he smiled back without hesitation. Mentally he kicked himself for ever thinking Kairi would reject him. Had she not been waiting so patiently for his return while he was off battling? And what about when she ran to find him? It was no secret that they loved each other, Even Donald and Goofy knew that, and they'd barely even met the girl. It had just never been said. But it was known.

"I love you, Kairi." Sora smiled at her, and she never faltered from her giggling and smile.

"I know that, too." Was all she said. And he knew she loved him back. It wasn't said, but it was known. Gently she splashed him again. "The water still feels cold."

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**Tsuki:** Haha, oh that was probably horribly dorky. But yeah. :)


End file.
